Jake Bauers, a former New York Yankees player, has emerged as a key contributor for the Milwaukee Brewers during the 2026 National League Championship Series (NLCS), delivering crucial performances that have helped the team gain ground against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Bauers, 31, played a pivotal role in the Brewers’ Game 2 victory over the two-time defending champions by drawing a 12-pitch walk in the third inning against Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. His patient plate appearance set the stage for a two-run single by Christian Yelich. In Game 3 at Dodger Stadium, Bauers continued his impact by hitting a decisive two-run home run in the seventh inning off two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, which proved vital in Milwaukee’s 6-2 win. The Brewers followed that homer with a solo blast from Garrett Mitchell, further cementing their momentum.

A Southern California native, Bauers has been part of seven major league organizations throughout his career, making stops with the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians, Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds’ minor-league system, and the Yankees before joining Milwaukee. He made his MLB debut with the Rays in 2018 but did not establish consistent major league success until recent seasons.

During his time with the Yankees in 2023, Bauers showed flashes of potential, including a memorable 420-foot opposite-field home run at Yankee Stadium. He finished that season with a .202 batting average, 12 home runs, and 30 RBIs in 84 games. After the season, he was traded to the Brewers, where he initially served as a part-time player in 2024 and 2025.

Bauers’ breakthrough came in 2026, when he set career highs in multiple offensive categories, including a .266 batting average, 26 home runs, 86 RBIs, a .389 on-base percentage, and an .874 OPS. Advanced metrics also reflected his improved performance, with a 3.3 wins above replacement (WAR) and a weighted runs created plus (wRC+) of 143, ranking second in the National League behind only Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy credited Bauers’ development and mental approach to the game. “He got an opportunity to contribute, and he found his offensive approach,” Murphy said. “He’s continued to grow.”

Bauers came close to postseason heroics in 2024 as well, hitting a key home run in a Wild Card Series game against the New York Mets, though the Brewers ultimately fell short when Pete Alonso hit a game-winning homer in the ninth inning. At one point, Bauers considered retirement following that postseason but decided to continue playing after his wife Lauren became pregnant, seeking health insurance and stability for his family.

Reflecting on his journey, Bauers said he realized that self-doubt was his biggest obstacle and that embracing competition rather than results helped him succeed. Now a vital piece of Milwaukee’s postseason push, Bauers is establishing himself as a significant figure in the club’s recent history.